Refrigeration neck fan system

ABSTRACT

A refrigeration neck fan system including articulable arms and cooling fans for adjustment by a wearer.

PRIORITY OF INVENTION

The present invention claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to each of Chinese patent application no. 201822093021.9 filed Dec. 14, 2018, Chinese patent application no. 201920027144.4 filed Jan. 9, 2019, and Chinese patent application no. 201920112154.8 filed Jan. 23, 2019. The entire contents of each of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed towards an improved system and mechanism for enabling a neck fan system. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed towards a device for providing conductive and/or convective cooling to a wearer using combinations of features such as a pair of flexible arms, a refrigerated aluminum sheet for conductive contact with a user's neck, and a pair of fans which can be adjusted for convection cooling with the universal articulation of one or both of the flexible arms. Additional features may likewise be incorporated, such as blue tooth enabled speakers for linking to a smart phone or similar device and/or a USB type connector to provide a charging connection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a neck fan refrigeration system. According to the latest results from the 2009 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) show about 15 million U.S. households are not equipped with AC. Even for those families with air conditioning, there exists a need for the ability to keep cool while “on the go,” such as when a person is at a concert or sporting venue, or whether one is cooling down from exercising or other outdoor activity. Of course, not every person dissipates body heat in the same fashion—some people become flush in the face, while others throw off more heat from the core of their body. Similarly, some people respond to a fan, while others may find direct contact with a cold surface more efficacious. Thus, there exists a need for an adjustable fan assembly which addresses these and other related problems.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Other prior art approaches are known to exist to attempt to address the general need for personal cooling devices. Numerous innovations for neck fans for personal cooling have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

WIPO Patent Application No. WO2005068846A1 to Trask teaches a neck fan for personal cooling which can be supported by a lanyard around a wearer's neck so that a cooling breeze may be directed to cool the wearer's face and neck area while the wearer's hands are free to be engaged in ordinary activities. Trask teaches using a geometry of the construction of the fan device is such that it lay close to the body of the wearer so as to minimize the fan device from coming into undesirable contact with other items in the wearer's environment. Trask further teaches a lanyard which supports the fan device about the wearer's neck having break-away safety link so that should the fan device become accidentally entangled with the environment, the breakaway safety link will permit the lanyard to separate before the wearer will be seriously injured.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,765 to Waters teaches an air conditioning unit for use in the cooling of persons includes a fan secured below the parson's neck. A moistened foam necklace may be wrapped around the neck or a moistened foam pad otherwise positioned between the fan and the neck of the user. The fan .of the air conditioning unit includes a frame, an electric motor mounted on the frame, fan blade operably connected with the motor and rotatable by the motor for moving air, a battery or other power source operably connected with the motor for actuation thereof, and a switch operably connected between the battery or power source and the motor for controlling the actuation of the motor. Furthermore, the air conditioning unit includes a flexible element attached to the frame, the flexible element being constructed and arranged to be worn around the user's neck so that air generated by the moving fan blade moves against the neck area after being evaporatively cooled by the foam necklace or pad.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,035 to Carter teaches a portable fan worn for directing a current of cooling air toward the wearer. The fan has a housing made of lightweight material, a lightweight electric motor in the housing powered by a source such as a battery so that the motor does not require physical connection to a fixed location remote from the wearer, a mechanism for moving air including a shaft connected to the motor, a hub on the shaft and a plurality of vanes projecting radially outwardly from the hub, the shaft, hub and vanes being made of a lightweight material, a shroud made of lightweight material connected to the housing and substantially enclosing said air moving mechanism, and a sleeve for supporting the fan below the wearer's face in an orientation wherein said air moving mechanism directs a current of air upwardly toward the wearer's face without being manually held.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,714 to Hsu teaches a necklace hanger for mounting on a portable fan to be worn is disclosed. The hanger includes a main body having a ring for fitly mounting on a fan and an extension for supporting the shroud of the fan. Then a cord is connected to the extension to form a loop for hanging the fan to one's neck. The hanger can selectively be combined with the fan by the user and is suitable for applying to other portable fans. Furthermore, the connecting mechanism of the cord and the main body is in a detachable manner that when an outer force applied to the connectors exceeds a certain extent, the cord will be released from the hanger to prevent from harming the wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,564 B1 to Park teaches a portable electric fan is provided. The portable electric fan includes a handle constructed of a case in the form of a hollow column, having one end through which one or more power supplying batteries are installed, a motor connected to the electrode of the battery for providing a rotational driving force, a fan which is installed on a rotating shaft of the motor and is rotatably driven, a protecting member enclosing the fan, and a cord attached to some part of the protecting member. Therefore, the portable electric fan can be operated, while hanging around some part of a user's body such as the neck. Accordingly, it is possible to freely use both hands. Also, it is possible to safely produce air movement since a protecting member enclosing the fan is formed. Also, holes are formed for allowing the circulation of air between the case and the fan, thereby carrying perfume from a perfume pocket put into a space in the case to a user by the air movement caused during the rotation of the fan.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,702 B1 to Shimagori teaches a personal cooling device that may be slung about the neck of a wearer for providing personal cooling under various conditions and wherein the device may be stowed about the waistband of a garment of the user of the device when not used for cooling purposes.

Thus, there is a need to provide a refrigeration neck fan system which may be worn about the neck, which provides a multiple cooling mechanisms, and which is positioned readily by the wearer's manipulation.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are used in the claims of the patent as filed and are intended to have their broadest plain and ordinary meaning consistent with the requirements of the law.

A flexible arm refers to one of a pair of arms on the present refrigeration neck fan system using a metal hose or other flexible member that is independently articulable from the other flexible arm in the system while preferably maintaining a selected articulation chosen by the wearer.

Where alternative meanings are possible, the broadest meaning is intended. All words used in the claims set forth below are intended to be used in the normal, customary usage of grammar and the English language.

Objects and Summary of the Disclosure

The present disclosure solves existing needs for improved refrigeration neck fan system by providing a pair of flexible arms, each terminating in a cooling fan. In a first embodiment of the disclosure, the system includes a bridge piece connecting the pair of flexible arms, wherein the bridge piece comprises a refrigerated aluminum sheet so as to provide a conductive cooling mechanism to the back of the wearer's neck. Each of the pair of flexible arms is independently articulable/adjustible so as to enable the wearer to direct air from the cooling fans to the torso, the face, or both at the same time. In another preferred embodiment, the system may include a speaker with a Bluetooth connection for enabling the refrigeration neck fan system to support smart phone operations, such as audio calls or music. In various embodiments, the invention may further include either a battery pack and/or a USB or similar connector port for charging the system when not in use.

Thus, it can be seen that one object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigeration neck fan system with multiple mechanisms for cooling a wearer.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a refrigeration neck fan system with adjustable arms for cooling the face area, the torso or both at the same time.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration neck fan system which is articulable to maintain a variety of user selected positions relative to the wearer's body.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration neck fan system which is coordinated with exterior peripheral devices and inputs via Bluetooth module.

It will be understood that not every claim will employ each and every object as set forth above in the operation of the present invention. However, these and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1a and 1b show exposed top and top views, respectively, of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the middle or refrigerated aluminum sheet section of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4a-d shows exposed top views of the air inlet and outlet features of the middle or refrigerated aluminum sheet section of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a flexible arm in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the metal hose and bracket components of the flexible arm in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7a, b, and c show, respectively, an exposed side view of the metal hose and shell in engagement with one another, a perspective view of the metal hose, and a perspective view of a shell component in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a partially exploded perspective view of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a top view indicating the lateral range motion of the flexible arms of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a front view indicating the twisting range motion of the flexible arms of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows a top view of an alternative a refrigeration neck fan system including a speaker system in accord with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 shows a back view of the middle or speaker section of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows an exploded perspective view of the middle or speaker section of a refrigeration neck fan system in accord with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Set forth below is a description of what is currently believed to be the preferred embodiment or best examples of the invention claimed. Future and present alternatives and modifications to this preferred embodiment are contemplated. Any alternatives or modifications which make insubstantial changes in function, in purpose, in structure or in result are intended to be covered by the claims in this patent.

FIGS. 1a, 1b , and 2 show general components of a first preferred embodiment of the FIG. 12 shows a back view of the middle or speaker section of a refrigeration neck fan system of the present invention. The basic assembly of this embodiment comprising a middle section comprising a refrigerated aluminum sheet 1, a pair of flexible arms 2 extending from each side of the middle section, and each of the flexible arms terminating in cooling fans 3.

FIGS. 3 and 4 a-d showing further details of the middle section referenced in FIGS. 1-2. Specifically, the middle section includes a refrigerated aluminum sheet 18 for contacting a wearer's neck for cooling. The cooling process in maintained by air inlet 11 and heat exhaust fan 12, both supported by an endothermic aluminum alloy frame 13 for drawing cool air into the system and pulling heated air away from the wearer through the air outlet 19. The provision of cooled air to the refrigerated aluminum sheet 18 is further aided by cooling chip 15, which is located under the heat exhaust fan 12 and is sandwiched between two thermal sheets 14, 16. This array of the cooling chip 15 and the thermal sheets 14, 16 may be powered by a power cable 151 to a power source (not shown), and such components are further supported by a plastic frame 17. The middle section is then connected to the flexible arms via plastic brackets 21.

The structure of each flexible arm 2 and its corresponding cooling fan 3 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 5-8. The proximal end of each flexible arm 2 starts with the plastic bracket 21, and then continues from an upper flexible rubber end fixing bracket 23, through a lower flexible rubber end fixing bracket 24, and finally to another plastic bracket 25 which connects to a fixed plastic fan case 31 which contains the cooling fan 32 therein. The upper and lower rubber end fixing brackets 23, 25 have encased therein a metal hose 22 for giving some rigidity to the flexible arm once articulated by the wearer. Finally, the assembly has a rubber shell 26 to act as the outer skin of the flexible arm.

The metal hose 22 is set in place relative to the upper flexible rubber end fixing bracket 23, and the lower flexible rubber end fixing bracket 24 through the use of a fixed piece 221 at each end of the hose 22 which is fixed in place by brackets 212, 252. The upper and lower rubber end fixing brackets 23, 25 are fixed relative to the rubber shell 26 via brackets 232, 242. Thus, the multiple fixing brackets 23, 24 in conjunction with the metal hose 22 enable a wide degree of lateral and rotational movement for each flexible arm 2, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

As shown in FIG. 8, the arms 2 and/or the fixed plastic fan case 31 preferrably further contain certain electronics and user interface components for operating the fan, including a power bank 33 for supplying power to the unit, a circuit control PCB 34, a power start switch 35, a cooling switch 36 for activating the fans, and a micro USB port 37 for recharging the power bank 33 when the device is not in use.

As shown in FIGS. 11-12, still another embodiment adds speaker features for interfacing with Bluetooth enabled electronics such as smart phones and the like. In this embodiment, the device is contained in a cover 11 which holds a printed circuit board 12 for operation of the speakers 13, mounted in brackets 14, which in turn is housed with recess 16. This embodiment further enable control of volume and power through user interface switches 17, 18, 19 to control volume and power to the speakers as needed. The cover has located on it an on/off switch 111, and a power indicator light 112 to enable power and a signal of power to the user. In addition, this embodiment may include an earphone jack 113 and a memory card slot 121 to further enhance the interface with content provided through the speakers 13.

The above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in the following claims that define the invention. Rather, it is contemplated that future modifications in structure, function or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims. 

We claim:
 1. A refrigeration neck fan system, the system comprising: a. A middle segment containing a neck cooling plate; b. First and second cooling fans; and c. First and second flexible arms connected respectively to the first and second cooling fans, the first and second flexible arms being connected to opposing ends of the middle segment, wherein each of the first and second flexible arms are independently articulable.
 2. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 1, wherein the middle segment further contains a fan for introducing air to the middle segment and drawing heat away from the middle segment.
 3. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 1, further comprising a power bank and power connector for recharging the power bank when not in use.
 4. A refrigeration neck fan system, the system comprising: a. A middle segment containing a neck cooling plate; b. First and second cooling fans; and c. First and second flexible arms connected respectively to the first and second cooling fans, the first and second flexible arms being connected to opposing ends of the middle segment, wherein each of the first and second flexible arms comprise multiple articulable bracket segments.
 5. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 4, wherein the middle segment further contains a fan for introducing air to the middle segment and drawing heat away from the middle segment.
 6. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 4, further comprising a power bank and power connector for recharging the power bank when not in use.
 7. A refrigeration neck fan system, the system comprising: a. A middle segment containing a neck cooling plate; b. First and second cooling fans; and c. First and second flexible arms connected respectively to the first and second cooling fans, the first and second flexible arms being connected to opposing ends of the middle segment, wherein each of the first and second flexible arms comprise a set bracket segments located within a shell, each set of bracket segments encasing a support hose therein.
 8. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 7, wherein the middle segment further contains a fan for introducing air to the middle segment and drawing heat away from the middle segment.
 9. The refrigeration neck fan system of claim 7, further comprising a power bank and power connector for recharging the power bank when not in use. 